Bottle holder



March M, 1950 H. H. MCFARLAND BOTTLE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 11, 1946 Fig 3 INVENTOR. Herberi H.McFar/and BY g 2 Afforney Mamh 14, mm H, MCFARLAND 25%,46

BOTTLE HOLDER Filed April 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

HerBerf H. McFarland Afforney Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in bottle holders and has particular reference to a nursing bottle holder.

The principal objects of the invention reside in the provision of a holder of the character described, so constructed, that bottles of varying diameters may be readily retained therein; a holder equipped with means for readily converting the same from a convenient nursing position for an infant, to an arrangement, whereby the holder with its retained bottle may be transported in an upright position; a holder equipped with means for rendering visible the milk content of the bottle; and a holder made of material having a roughened, abrasive surface to prevent accidental displacement of the holder from a pillow, a sheet, or like base, when the infant is feeding, while unattended.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable strap associated with the holder, whereby the latter can be readily placed in the most comfortable and convenient feeding position relative to the mother and the nursing infant.

A further object of the invention is the production of a bottle holder and associated cooperating parts that are economical to manufacture, simple in construction, strong, durable, and highly serviceable and efiicient in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a view of the holder partly in section and partly in elevation, the view being taken on the line l-l of Fig. 3,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the holder disclosing to advantage certain of the rings that receive the snap hooks or fasteners of an adjustable neck encircling strap,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the holder and bottle, the view being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 4 is a similar view through the holder and bottle, the view being taken on the line 44 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view disclosing the operative position of the appliance and illustrating to advantage the manner in which the mother or other attendant has the free use of one arm while the infant is feeding, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the method of interchanging the strap, when it is desired to carry the bottle retaining holder in an upright position.

It is a well known fact that a bottle feeding infant requires the undivided attention and the use of both arms of a mother or other attendant when the child is being held during the feeding period. To the busy mother the feeding of an infant, while a most wholehearted and loving act, nevertheless temporarily diverts the busy mothers attention from numerous household duties. To therefore produce a bottle holder that will not only allow the mother to comfortably hold and feed a bottle nursing infant, but will simultaneously provide a medium whereby the mother can readily have free use of one hand for the performance of various household duties such as cooking, ironing, phoning and the like, I have devised the present most serviceable and highly eflicient invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates as a whole the holder that is preferably made of leather, which holder embodies in its construction a circular base 6 that has sewed thereto a cylindrical casing 1 having an open upper end 8 through which the bottle is inserted to rest in the casing. The said casing is slotted as at 9 to thus render visible the graduations A of a nursing bottle l0. Thus by the employment of the slotted casing the mother or other attendant can readily View the graduations and thus see the quantity of milk in the bottle and accordingly can more satisfactorily regulate the feeding of the infant.

One of the salient features of the invention is the provision of a pair of curved spaced spring steel bands II that are positioned between the inner and outer leather layers 12 and I3 of which the casing is formed. These bands are retained in position within the casing by suitably sewing the upper and bottom layers, one to the other, at fixed points throughout their lengths.

It will be noted, as disclosed to advantage in Fig. 6, that the bottom of the bottle rests on the base 6, while the casing 7 under the influence of the resilient curved bands H, is in intimate contact with the greater portion of the outer periphery of the bottle I 0. Thus the bottle is firmly held within the casing and danger of accidental displacement of the bottle from the holder is eliminated. Should a bottle of a smaller diameter, than that illustrated, be placed in the holder the casing 1 under the influence of the spring bands will likewise firmly grip this type of bottle. It is obvious that the springs will also readily expand, if a larger form of bottle is positioned in the holder.

Suitably positioned on the outer surfaces of the wall or casing 1 are metallic upper rings 14 and i5 and lower rings l6 and 11, capable of receiving snap hooks or fasteners l8 and I9 carried on the ends of an adjustable strap 20. This arrangement permits the holder to be suspended from the neck of the mother, and as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 5 assures a most convenient and comfortable feeding position for the infant nestled in one arm of the mother, and at the same time permits free use of the other arm or hand for any household duty. In this instance the fastener I8 is detachably secured to an upper ring i4, while the snap hook I9 is secured to a bottom ring l'i. Thus the bottle is retained in the normal horizontal feeding position. Should the mother desire to shorten or lengthen the strap 20, a buckle 2! provided on the strap, can be readily manipulated for this purpose.

It will be noted, as disclosed to advantage in Figs. 1 and 4, that openings 22 provided in the inner layer 13, permit the passage therethrough of loops 23. These loops are formed on the outer layer l2, preferably integrally therewith, and are so positioned relative to the openings that since they protrude through the latter, the said loops serve as a means for receiving the respective rings I4, l5, l6 and I1.

In Fig, 6, I have illustrated a most convenient arrangement for transporting the bottle in an upright position, and this feature is accomplished by the simple expediency of detaching the snap 4 hook l9 from the lower ring H and then inserting the hook is in the upper ring l5.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be obvious that I have devised a highly serviceable, sanitary and efficient holder for nursing bottles.

It is to be understood that the form of my in- Cab vention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a flexible casing for receiving therein a nursing bottle, aslot formed in said casing to render visible the contents of the bottle, means provided in said casing for expanding and contracting the latter to hold nursing bottles of varying diameters, said means comprising a plurality of spring metal bands spaced one from the other, and a strap secured to said casing and capable of encircling the neck of an infants attendant to retain the bottle in a horizontal feeding position for the infant.

2. A device for detachably retaining therein a nursing bottle and comprising a casing, said casing consisting of inner and outer layers of flexible materials partially sewed together, a base secured to the inner andouter layers, said casing having an upper open end, a slot extending from the upper open end to said base to render visible the content of the bottle, and a pair of spaced spring metal bands interposed between said layers for contracting and expanding said slot.

HERBERT I-I. McFARLAN'D.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,750,672 Krischer Mar. 18, 1930 1,778,545 Allen Oct. 14, 1930 2,161,935 Roberts June 13, 1939 2,362,020 Morrow 1 1 Nov. 7, 1944 2,366,455 Patten Jan. 2, 1945 

